1A-
I live in Westmoreland County in Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh. My water comes from the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County (MAWC). I accessed the information needed for this assignment from their website. The majority of the water supplying the county is from the Youghiogheny River or the Beaver Run Reservoir. The main traits of my tap water include chlorine and ammonia. Fluoride is not added to our water like other water systems are. The chlorine is added to disinfect the water and rid it of water-borne diseases such as cholera. In the summer, ammonia is combined with the chlorine to help carry the chlorine over the entire distribution system and reduce taste and odors caused by the warmer water. The wastewater is then sent back to the rivers as sewage. It goes back into the river after being treated and disinfected by one of the various sewage plants. The water is reintroduced into the river to be used again.
1B-
| Water Activity | Amount of Water Used (Gallons) |
| Brushing Teeth 2X | 2 Gallons |
| Showering 1X | 50 Gallons |
| Toilet Flush 8X | 24 Gallons |
| Cooking 1X | 1 Gallon |
| Glass of Water 6X | .375 Gallon |
| Washing Hands 9X | 9 Gallons |
| Total | 86.375 Gallons |
1C-
Post experiment, I realized I use most of my water in the bathroom. Drinking and cooking did not consume as much water as my bathroom habits did. To cut back on water, I would not be able to spend a lot if not any water on my personal hygiene. I would not be able to shower, brush my teeth, or even flush the toilet. I would have to have an outhouse so I could use the bathroom since I cannot use all my water to flush the toilet. I would spend my two gallons on drinking and cooking water. If I had any leftover I would wash my face and hands. My hygiene would have to take the backseat in order to just survive if I lived in a third world country. And sadly this is how must third world countries operate every single day. I would fail in this experiment. I am not used to that little of a daily consumption of water. I use around 86 gallons more everyday then a third world country native in Haiti does. Geography matters to water use because every spot in the world does not have water be easily accessible like Africa. While in the United States, I can just turn a knob and I know I will have water.
Hey Ryan. It is interesting that your water supply company does not treat the water with fluoride. I am curious whether they have cited certain reasons for this decision, as I have heard many rumors surrounding the effects of fluoride in drinking water. In my attempt at the 2 gallon challenge, I also completely removed showering from my day. It is astonishing that we actually waste that much water in the bathroom on a daily basis. Once you truly look at the numbers, it is understandable why people in third world countries have poor hygiene – they simply do not have the resources for it. If you would like to check out my blog post, you can find it here:http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/02/09/james-sharer-water-consumption/